Start Here
New to Hexed & Countered? Welcome. Here’s the lay of the land — and a short list of the best places to jump in.
Hexed & Countered is run by Joe Cronin — a lifelong gamer, USAF veteran, and unrepentant grognard who’s been pushing counters across hex maps since the early 1980s. The whole thing runs on one idea: most strategy games only reveal what they really are once you actually play them. So that’s what happens here. Games get played through — on the table and on the screen — with an eye for how the systems hold up and an honest word about where they don’t.
There’s a heavy solo streak to all of it. If you game alone — by choice or by schedule — you’re in good company.
Get a Feel for the Channel
The fastest way to see what this is all about — a quick tour of what’s on the channel right now.
What You’ll Find Here
Wargames
Hex-and-counter and card-driven, every era, with a strong solitaire streak. Played through, not just talked about.
RPGs
Solo-friendly roleplaying — Classic Traveller, Twilight: 2000, and sci-fi sandboxes a wargamer will feel at home in.
Sports Sims
Classic and modern tabletop and digital sims — boxing, baseball, football, hoops, racing — that turn stats into stories.
Digital Strategy
PC wargames and deep strategy titles — the good stuff, where choices actually matter.
Start With These
Not sure where to jump in? These four are a good first taste of what the site does.
- Why This Wargamer Plays RPGs — the bridge from cardboard to roleplaying, and the best one-post summary of where the site is heading.
- The 6: Favorite WWI Solitaire Wargames — a quick, opinionated countdown that doubles as a reading list for the Great War.
- D-Day at Tarawa — a long-form review of a solitaire classic, and a good look at how this place digs into a system.
- Atlantic Chase — one of the most innovative naval designs in years, covered in depth.
What to Expect
Full playthroughs, not just first looks. Systems and decisions, not just component shots. Strengths up front, but honest about the flaws — if a game works, you’ll see why; if it doesn’t, you’ll see that too. And nearly all of it works solo.
Stick Around
Subscribe for new playthroughs several times a week, read the deeper breakdowns here, and don’t be a stranger — questions and review copies are always welcome.